The Patronus returned.
Strictly speaking, it could no longer be considered a Patronus.
John felt he could give it a more fitting name.
Double.
By storing his emotional magic within it, he had transformed it into something similar to a duplicate.
Looking at the silver-white man before him, who had the same face as himself, John fell into thought.
"It does resemble Ravenclaw."
What Ravenclaw had preserved within her painting was similar in principle to what John had created.
"Can you use magic?"
"Of course."
Silver John snapped his fingers, and the objects in the room floated into the air.
"I think you'll be able to help me a great deal."
John extended his hand and shook hands with Silver John.
Silver John shrugged, and his body dissolved into silver light before merging back into John's body.
"What a strange feeling."
John flexed his hand.
"Such outstanding creativity. You're just like Salazar."
John looked over.
The woman had appeared in the Constellation Society without his noticing.
"But your wild imagination is rather like Godric."
The woman had golden hair and wore a dress from centuries past.
"Helga Hufflepuff?" John looked at the woman and then at the recipes on the table.
"It seems I guessed wrong. Hufflepuff has her own little secrets as well."
Hufflepuff looked at John with pity in her eyes and shook her head.
"I never expected to find a child as pitiful as you."
"Me?" John pointed at himself and laughed. "You've got the wrong person. I'm not pitiful."
"No, child."
Hufflepuff came before him and gently stroked his now thinner cheek.
"Your sense of taste has been taken from you."
"That is a terrible punishment."
John's smile froze. He said in surprise,
"You're the first person to notice."
"I think Rowena knew as well, but to her, taste was never part of life's pleasures."
Hufflepuff looked at him as though she were seeing a child who had endured too much suffering.
"You've almost forgotten what food tastes like."
"The price was worth paying. To me, equivalent exchange is not a losing deal," John said indifferently. "I lost my sense of taste, but I gained friends."
"I came because of you," Hufflepuff said, shaking her head. "The being that stole your sense of taste is very powerful, but I want to let you taste delicious food once more."
"I'll do everything I can."
"Hufflepuff, do you know what is more terrifying than losing your sense of taste?" John asked.
"It is tasting delicious food again."
"That flavour would become a dream that haunts a person day and night. They would do anything to regain it and lose sight of what they truly seek."
John refused her.
Rather than taste delicious food once more only to lose his sense of taste again, he would rather remain without it forever.
Let that vagueness continue until he truly found a way to solve the problem.
"You're so sensible that it breaks my heart," Hufflepuff said emotionally. Like Ravenclaw, she no longer possessed a physical body. "What have you been through?"
"Some battles, some redemption, some gains, some losses." John smiled. "Put together, that's what life is."
"Although the creed of Hufflepuff House is to treat everyone equally, you still deserve to hear this from me." Hufflepuff nodded in satisfaction. "You are the finest Hogwarts student I have ever seen."
"Slytherin would like you because of your creativity with magic."
"Gryffindor would like you because of your courage to face the unknown."
"Ravenclaw would like you because of the wisdom you gained through hardship."
"And I would like you because of the devotion and tolerance you show to your friends."
Hufflepuff's body gradually became transparent, revealing the recipe book hidden within.
As the book fell, John walked over and picked it up.
"Hufflepuff's gift, then."
Recognition from the four founders.
John chuckled softly.
He was probably the first person in a thousand years to receive it.
Placing the recipe book on the table, he decided to leave it in the Constellation Society, where it could remain safely hidden from anything that might invite a visit from the Ministry of Magic.
Hufflepuff had wanted John to taste delicious food once again.
She had also said one thing.
Slytherin might like John, but not because of his creativity with magic.
It would be because of his ambition.
"I never said my sense of taste wouldn't return."
Staring at the recipe book, John casually placed it into a cabinet.
The four founders truly deserved their reputation. First came Gryffindor reappearing in the Room of Requirement, then Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff appearing with their consciousnesses intact.
All of them had reached extraordinary heights in magic.
"I wonder whether Slytherin's consciousness was destroyed or simply disappeared?"
Rubbing his chin, John thought about the fact that among the four founders, only Salazar Slytherin, the greatest master of Dark Magic, had yet to appear.
Although John had visited his Chamber, it had already been visited by Voldemort.
It was possible that Voldemort had already met Salazar Slytherin and that the remaining consciousness had dissipated.
But it was also possible that, because John was not a pure-blood, Slytherin had chosen not to appear before him.
To John, however, it was no longer that important.
What he needed to consider now was what creature's blood to add to the Blood of Magic.
At present, he had fused six magical bloodlines.
They were: dragon, Demiguise, Boggart, Basilisk, phoenix, and the Spirit of the Black Lake.
The dragon granted him a powerful body.
The Demiguise granted him the ability of foresight.
The Boggart bestowed fear and heightened perception.
The Basilisk allowed him to carry death.
The phoenix granted him rebirth.
The Spirit of the Black Lake granted him immortality.
"What should I choose next?"
John was somewhat hesitant.
After all, his current abilities still had shortcomings in certain areas.
For example, his Apparition skills could hardly be considered exceptional.
"I'll have to think carefully."
...
December arrived.
Snow began to fall from the sky.
The weather seemed colder this year, with heavy snow covering most of Europe.
In a city in Poland.
On a snow-covered rooftop, an elderly man with white hair and a white beard was clearing snow while wearing sunglasses.
Suddenly, the neighbouring house exploded without warning.
The old man stared blankly as a figure flew out of the house.
The person mounted a broom and soared into the sky.
The dozen or so people surrounding the house vanished with loud cracks that sent snow tumbling from the rooftops.
The old man took off his sunglasses and carefully wiped them.
Staring at the broom in his hand, he wondered whether he could fly as well.
At that moment, a wizard appeared and waved his wand at him.
His mind jolted, and when he came to his senses, he was already back inside his house.
The television was broadcasting the news.
"Multiple houses have suffered gas leaks. We once again remind the public to regularly inspect their gas pipes..."
Loud cracks continued to sound throughout the area.
"For Grindelwald!"
Driven into a corner, one of Grindelwald's followers shouted the words before being engulfed by spells and killed.
It was a swift and decisive arrest operation.
The Ministry of Magic's opponent was Grindelwald, who had once dominated Europe.
But they had come fully prepared. One follower launched a sneak attack, only for it to be blocked by the protective talisman worn by an Auror.
"Nearly a hundred Muggles have already been affected."
The Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement arrived to report on the operation's progress.
"Grindelwald is still putting up stubborn resistance."
The Polish Minister for Magic declared righteously,
"If we give up now, all our efforts will have been for nothing!"
"But the Muggles..."
"Arrange for personnel to Obliviate the witnesses. As for the Muggles caught up in this, I will communicate with the Muggle government."
The Polish Minister for Magic looked far into the distance and said,
"We are not doing this merely for ourselves, but for the entire world."
"Grindelwald will drag the Muggle world into war as well. They will understand me."
The Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement was left speechless.
This earth-shaking operation to capture Grindelwald also alarmed the International Confederation of Wizards.
Representatives from various countries quickly arrived in Poland, intending to stop such a radical and reckless course of action.
But just after Barty Crouch Sr. arrived, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement rushed into the room.
"We've got him!"
The hall of accusations instantly fell silent.
They watched as a white-haired man, his hands and feet bound, floated into the room.
No one could forget that name which had once swept across Europe.
Grindelwald.
The Polish Minister for Magic took in the scene before him.
A faint smile appeared on his lips, only to vanish and be replaced by an expressionless face.
The curtain had risen on the grand performance.
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